Jakarta (ANTARA) – Social Affairs Minister Saifullah Yusuf stressed that national heroes’ values have been passed down through the 1945 Constitution, which must be a common guide in bringing welfare to all Indonesians.
He said this after the summit event of the 2026 Heroes’ Day commemoration, organized by the Social Affairs Ministry and the Indonesian National Heroes’ Families Association (IKPNI), at Fatahillah Square in the Old Town area of Jakarta on Monday night.
“The heroes never thought of their own interests, but dedicated their lives to the nation and future generations. That noble spirit is clearly set out in three main articles that form the heart of the Constitution,” he said.
He explained that the first article is Article 31, which guarantees every citizen’s right to a proper education. Article 33 mandates that state wealth be managed optimally for the greatest prosperity of the people.
Meanwhile, to protect residents who are left behind and need state guarantees, Article 34 states that the poor and neglected children are cared for by the state, where education and national wealth should provide real protection to them.
Yusuf said those constitutional provisions are now realized through the Sekolah Rakyat program, an idea directly from President Prabowo Subianto to reach children from the poorest families.
The program targets children who previously dropped out of school for years, were forced to work on the streets, or were at risk of dropping out due to family economic limitations.
To date, the Sekolah Rakyat program has operated at more than 180 locations, with 265 buildings built and housing about 45,000 students in 34 provinces across Indonesia.
“This is all intended for the poorest families. There is no registration, only outreach. There is no academic test, only who meets the criteria,” Yusuf said.
Going forward, he added that the government targets the number of Sekolah Rakyat students to rise to more than 100,000 next year and reach 300,000 in 2028.
Through the preparation of permanent buildings in every district and city able to hold up to 2,000 students, the program is projected to educate no fewer than one million children from poor families across the country.
Related news: Sekolah Rakyat integrates equivalency education for 1,000 children
Related news: Sekolah Rakyat serves 44,000 children since 2025 launch: Minister
Related news: Indonesia’s next financial challenge: Turning access into welfare
Translator: Prasetyo, Kenzu
Editor: Azis Kurmala
Copyright © ANTARA 2026